


Blackpaint

by ControlledChaos



Series: Blackpaint [1]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-02
Updated: 2013-04-24
Packaged: 2017-12-04 01:25:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/704893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ControlledChaos/pseuds/ControlledChaos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This fanfic was inspired by Noodletothedoodle's blog Slickpaint night: http://slickpaintnight.tumblr.com/</p><p> </p><p>This story takes place in a alternate universe where humans, trolls and carapaces live on earth. Slick is married to Ms.Paint, Karkat is Slicks stabson and the couple have two loving grey carpacian children named Slip and Ink (both characters were created by noodletothedoodle). They live in midnight city, surrounded by their friends and enemies. Constantly going on adventures and dealing with the madness of everyday life. But now a threat has apeared and the Slickpaint house hold will need to stand tall in order to face it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dreams black

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at a major writing endevor so bear with me as attempt to write this.

Your name is Spades Slick and you’re currently staring at your ceiling, having been disturbed from your two hours of slumber. You seem to have been awoken by the sound of laughter accompanied by a screech. You lift yourself off your bed looking at the door deciding whether or not to leave this room and begin the day or grab the hideous lamp off your night stand and knock yourself unconscious. While deciding, you look down at your loving wife sleeping peacefully next to you, on your right, unaffected by the noises that awoken you.

Her white head poked out of the large Scotty dog blanket and rested itself upon a pillow with your symbol on it. Paint seemed so peaceful when, her rested upon her pillow. She wasn’t wearing her pinked striped hat which was usual sleeping habit of hers, though you could never imagine a day without were the colorful thing. You lift your hand a lovingly brush the back of her head. A smile appears on her face along with an adorable purr. Failing to hide it, you give a toothy grin.

The room is fairly big, being the master bedroom of a mansion. To the left is a large window closed by a curtain, when open you have an amazing view of Midnight city. Something you haven’t had the opportunity to admire in quite some time. In front of the bed you were occupying there is a closet next to a door leading to your bathroom. Finally to your right is the door next to a large mirror which you have no recollection of purchasing or see any purpose in having.

Though useless for the most part, the mirror does give you a better view of your own appearance. Your body frame is slim, though not entirely in shape, but enough for you to last in a fight. The eye patch had somehow stayed on after last night’s drunken brawl, still covering your scarred eye. The scar itself was faintly white and was a distinct feature of your face atop of your black carapace. The dress shirt which you had been wearing the previous night was stained with blood of one of your bars patrons and the beer from the bottle Karkat smashed over your head after word. The black dress pants have a few cuts and stains that are not so evident like the ones present on your destroyed shirt. The mechanical arm is a little scratched up, probably best to ask Karkat’s friend to do some repairs on it, you know, before it attempts to kill you… again. And again you have lost one shoe. Why is it always the left why never the right?

The image in the mirror doesn’t really demand concern, so you turn away as the day begins. Like usual you start your daily routine, by turning on your radio *“I need a dollar” plays* and tearing off your bloodied and beer stained clothes and tossing them into the hamper. Then pick out something to wear for the day, standing in front of your closet you decide you need a broader selection of suits to wear. You take one of the dozens of generic suites out and head to the bathroom. Steam quickly forms as the hot water hits the cold floor of the shower. You make quick work of cleaning all the sweat and grim from your damaged hide. Taking a second to count the various cracks and scars you’ve collected.

“How does Paint find these attractive” you mumble to yourself.

The shower knobs squeak as you turn them off. You grab a nearby towel as you leave the steamy shower, then quickly dry off and put on your suit. Ready to leave you turn off the radio and head out your bedroom door. But as you are half way through the door you take a moment to look back at your wife still resting, still at peace. The door slowly closes until sight of her is lost.

You walk down the stairs paying very little attention, until you step on something and lose your balance. Then by logic you started falling down the stairs. You roll all the way to the bottom, when you finally hit the first floor; you hear the voices of your two children.

“Hi dad did you try sleeping and walking again” ask the two grey kids.

They were dressed in their usual attire and ready for school. . If you weren’t on the floor right now you would face palm yourself, because you did the same thing the previous day. Slip in his grey black oversized shirt that hid his shorts and a black gray striped hat. The scar on his face wasn’t as noticeable as yours, but it still showed never the less. Next to him was your daughter Ink wearing a yellow sweater and colorful skirt it was almost identical to the one she wore the previous day. Along with her blue striped hat that her mother lovingly made for her. The need for a trip to the clothing store seems to be desperately needed.

“No kids I was just… practicing some moves”, you lie.

You heard the patter of Crabdad’s feet as he entered the room with a chef’s hat atop his hard scalp. He screeched for a second then began to talk normally.

“*Scree* Slick are you ok, I heard you while fall while I *scree* was making breakfast”, questioned the large crustacean.

“Yeah I’m fine”, you answer as you stand up.

You are three times your children’s height, but still dwarfed by your butler, even without his silly hat. His white shell like shine shined vaguely, keeping it healthy with a cat of wax it would seem. His four eyes looked straight at not a single going into any unnecessary direction. His large claws could crush your skull if he so desired, which he never did. They made it quite difficult for him to hold everything, until Karkat took it upon himself to buy prosthetic arms for his shoulders to help him with tasks around the hose. Though you rarely ever seen him use them, they were kind of awkward on him. Hell your own mechanical arm nearly killed you the first received it.

“Good then come enjoy some breakfast I have just finished making some pancakes *scree*”

“No thanks I’m not particularly hungry at the moment”

“No, not even if I use my own black licorice syrup I had ordered”

This stops you in your tracks; he knows you love nothing more than black licorice and he has a habit of using this fact, to eliminate your desire not to eat. It wasn’t that his cooking was bad, living homeless most of his life, taught him how to make crap taste delicious. The fact of the matter that makes your refuse his meals so often, though it might make it seem like Crabdad was incompetent in the kitchen, was that he cooks too much. Once after eating his cooking you fell into a comma like state, because you didn’t know how to stop eating the morsels presented to you.

You blow out a deep breath. “Fine I’ll sit down for some breakfast”, you say with an unpleased voice. Crabdad forms what you are made to believe is a smile across his face thought his shell greatly limits his facial movements. He walks into the kitchen, getting your food ready when you join him. You hear a horn outside, a sign for your children to depart from schools. Before they leave they look at you, with the obvious desire for a farewell from you until they return later today. So you oblige by giving them both a fatherly peck on the forehead. They both quickly scamper out of the house to the bus.

You never imagined having a life with them in it, children you mean. With the violence that followed in pursuit of your every foot step, never did you consider it possible to have them in your life. It puts thoughts in that thick skull of yours, like what will their future be like, what if they follow your path and ultimately what if they get hurt?

You stand there for a second, but are quickly whisked away by your nose by the scent of food. Feeling leaves your body as if your nonexistent nose is being pulled by an invisible hand. It then has the curtsey the place atop one of the kitchen counters chairs, right in front of breakfast. Sitting in front of you is a plate of pancakes, ten in total make up the pile. You drool as your butler pours the gooey black syrup on them.

“Enjoy *scree* Slick”, as your butler begins to clean the kitchen, setting aside food for the others.

It is almost as if you turned into a shark, when you start to consume the delicious cakes in their gooey blankets. The pancakes are injured fish, the syrup is the strong scented blood and you are the seas garbage disposal ready to clean the waters with your mouth. The pancakes don’t stand a chance as you tear them apart leaving behind an empty plate with a single drop of licorice syrup. You take your finger and pick it up savoring the last drop as you lick it clean.

“Your one dam good cook Crabdad let no one tell you different”, you comment, as he picks up your plate to clean it.

“Thank I’m happy you enjoyed it”

“I’m going to rest on the couch; you recorded “The Three Stooges” right”

“Of course what kind of butler would I *scree* be if I couldn’t accomplish that”

“Thanks”

You walk into the living room opposite to the kitchen and through the foyer. The room is clean for once thanks to Crabdad most likely. Usually you will see toys, papers and crayons, a food sleeping pets and on one occasion a mech in the living room. You lay down on the couch opposite to the large big screen TV against the wall. The recorded show gives you great amusement, the antics and trouble they get into makes you laugh hard. So hard you cough out some smoke they had been collecting in your lungs.  
As you continue to watch you feel your eyes grow heavy from the lack of sleep, the energy stores in your body is slowly draining from your body. You turn off the TV and la your head down. You close your eyes and fall into a deep sleep. But something isn’t right; no something is wrong, very wrong.

You open in your eyes and expect to look at the TV screen, but instead find yourself standing in a white room. As you look around you see writing begin to form on the walls, written in some kind of sickening black paint. Then you hear whispers, voices telling you to turn around demanding you listen and do as they command. You listen and turn and see someone. Across the room you see a prospitian on the floor, his back turned to you and wearing a black suit with a joker imprinted on the back. He is writing on the walls in the black paint using his fingers as brushes.

A horrible chill is sent up your spin, your body telling to back away. But as you attempt to you notice the man’s head start to move, slowly moving at an unsettling speed. Then you see it his face and the horror it reveals to you. His pupils are a blood red along with the inside of his mouth. The whites of his eyes black and it appeared the same paint he was using was pouring out his eyes and mouth.  
“Slick”, he speaks as he paint bubbles out his mouth creating a strange grotesque gargling noise.

You force your eyes shut and open them once again screaming from the top of your lungs. You look and see your back home the room showing no signs of the horrible image that had presented itself in your dreams. You sit up taking deep breathes, telling yourself it was just a dream. And though you tell yourself this, you are still frightened by what you saw.

“Slick are you ok, I heard you *scree*ming”, asks Crabdad as he checks on you.

“What? Oh yeah I’m fine just a nightmare that is all”, you reply to him “I’m ok now though”

“Ok, *scree* well if you need me I’ll be working on laundry in the basement”, he still has a sense of concern in his voice, but leaves the room to finish with chores.

“Ok”  
You sit down with your thoughts. That face, that voice and that prospitian. It returned so many memories to your mind. Memories and a person buried in the sands of time. But you can never forget entirely you remember who you saw. And you don’t know why his image has returned to haunt your dreams.

“Joker Jack”, you say this to yourself with more concern in your voice then you have ever had.


	2. Time for school

You open your eyes, to the darkness of your bedroom. The idea of waking from your slumber is one that you don't wish acknowledge. Your mind is in painful haze as recollection of how you got home last night slowly returns to you. The first item in your head from yesterday is smashing a bottle of booze over dad’s head. He said kick whoever’s ass tries to start a fight in the bar. Never once did he say it couldn’t be him. And it was his damn fault for making you work a double, the same night you had to perform with your band.

You also have a video of Drooge in your head dragging the unconscious body of your dad to the back of the bar. He gives you a look of approval based on all the shit you’ve been dealing with tonight. After you finished your shift, you were responsible for picking up all your band mates Auto, Loco, Angel, Echo and your manager John. Before you even got to the damn place, the crowd was restless and you still needed to get ready to perform. John was barely able to keep them at bay with his stand-up act. When you finally finished the ass who hired you tried cutting his bill. But having a sickle being held by troll in a real pissed of mood, in his face changed his opinion on payment quickly.

After you took everyone home and realized you had picked up Terezi and Vriska at the show. Now you needed to take the both of them home. This was not something you felt like doing at any point in time today. The dread of seeing The Felt and Snowman made you want to crash your car to avoid the ordeal. But you didn’t want to do that while your girlfriend was in the car. You dropped them off at the mansion and quickly sped away so fast Terezi was barely able to give you a good night kiss.

You got home around twelve and are welcomed home by your mom. Ms. Paint was waiting for Slick to return from his night out with the crew. You gave her hug then walk up to your room to crash knowing school awaits you tomorrow. You take a second to peek your head into your brother and sister’s rooms. Slip was resting peacefully in his bed surrounded by his Yu-Gi-Oh cards spread around his bed. He was hugging his blue-eyes white dragon plushy and his pet red-eyes black dragon Flare slept at his feet. Your sister Ink was surrounded by crayons and paper. She slept in her favorite kigurumis of Cheshire cat and was sharing her blanket with the Impmon you helped make her. This house gets weirder and weirder every day.

You walked into your room and tossed your body onto the soft comfy bed. You seep into it like a brick in jelly. At first sleep comes by easy and the deep slumber is welcoming, then you hear laughter. Your eyes open with anger; you burst out of bed and look at the window to see your father finally make it home.

“Sorry for getting him home so late Ms. Paint”, yelled Boxcars from the getaway car. You look at your alarm clock; it says “5:15”.

“It’s ok, I’m just happy to have him home”, said Paint from the door, as slick dragged his exhausted body to the door.

You take a second to grab an empty soda bottle from the floor and open the window. You aim perfectly for Slick’s head, the bottle whooshes through the air until it makes contact. It’s a direct hit and Slick hits the ground now unconscious.

“Have some consideration for those trying to sleep jackass”, you scream out the window.

“Hi Karkat”, Deuce yells from the car.

“Oh dear”, says Ms. Paint as she walks over to her husband.

“Karkat shut up I’m trying to sleep”, you turn your head and see her head popping out her window.

“What is everyone yelling about”, Slip had joined in the shouting match.

“*SSCCCRRRREEEEEE* go to sleep!!!” the last to join is Crabdad. He was in his nightcap and holding his teddy bear wanting everyone to be quiet so he could return to his well-deserved sleep.

“Sorry”, everyone said collectively.

All that you remember after that is returning to your bed and falling asleep. You sit up and have a look around the room. It is mostly spotless not a single thing being out of place. Crabdad could be thanked for that. You turn your head and look at the night stand, the clock says “7:00” right on time you have about an hour and a half to eat something and get to school. You walk over to your closet next to your to your TV and left of your bed. The closet door is one of those sliding ones that is basically a giant mirror.

You only have gym shorts on at the moment you changed when you got home due to getting soaked in various liquids being thrown by the crowd last night. You can say you are slightly muscle, you get in to a lot of fights and lifting all the bands equipment is hard work. Your hair is unruly as usual and your eyes are starting to slowly go red as you get older with each passing day. And your horns are still nubby, but those are the cards you’ve been dealt.

You open the closet and pull out a t-shirt at random. You rarely wear anything beyond your usual turtlenecks, but it is too hot for you to wear that during this time of the year. You all grab a pair of pants to wear, slip on your stained shoes and walk out the door. When you hear your dad scream, he must’ve seen his own reflection again.

You walk down stairs and spot one of your sisters many stuffed skeleton plushy you casually pick it up and hold it under your arm. When you hit the ground floor you see Crabdad walking into the basement with a basket of dirty laundry.

“Hi Crabdad, sorry for waking you up last night”, you tell him apologetically.

“Don’t worry *scree* Karkat”, he flashes a smile as he reassures he’s not angry.

He steps through door frame and disappears into the darkness of the basement. How he puts up with this family, is nothing short of a mystery to you and everyone else. His previous lifestyle however, wasn’t in any way better than his current one. You remember when you found him in the alley behind the bar, being beaten by a gang of trolls and humans. And how you threaten to cut off their heads and paint the corpses with their blood if they didn’t leave. After you took him home, Ms. Paint healed his injuries and Slick offered him a job as the family’s butler. Your family even gave him his name. How the memories flood your mind.

You continue to walk down the hall and reach the entrance to the living room, your dad sitting all quite like. You ponder whether or not you should do what you are thinking of doing. You walk quietly over behind your father, so quite a dog could not hear you. When you reach the couch, you kneel on the ground and lift the plushy up with your hand. You place it’s carefully above his shoulder and get, here it comes.

“Boo”, you yell as quietly as possible, as the father sees the plushy’s arm on his shoulder.

“MOTHER OF ALL THAT IS BLACK!!!!” he yelled, being frightened beyond imagination. He turned to see you laughing your ass off at his face.

“Dammit kid, you scared the living shit out of me”, he jumps from his seat and grabs you by the neck. You continue to laugh, as you are almost on the verge of crying.

“Ha, you should have seen your freaking face you looked like a dog about to be neutered. I should have taken a picture it was freaking priceless”.

“And what is the deal with you throwing a bloody bottle at my head last night”, he exclaims with a growl.

“Don’t pretend for second you actually felt that, you were so out of it last night”, you finally show signs of finishing laughing.

“If you weren’t my stabson I would stab you so much right now, you have no idea… also if I didn’t think your mom would kick my ass”, he calms down and let goes of your neck.

“Yeah that is what’s holding you back”, you say as you head for the front door.

“See tonight at the bar dad”, you finish as you exit the door.

“Whatever you little shithead”

You finally make it to the Felt’s mansion, after spending ten minutes in the goddam drive through to get Terezi her stupid egg mcmuffin. When you pull up you seen John and Vriska drive off on his motorcycle, you swear they are like a crappy action movie couple.

As you pull up you see Terezi at the door waiting for you. She doesn’t have her cane, “guess she has her eye sight back for a moment”. You remember when she first told you about it. Die’s morial gave Terezi a special gift for her birthday one year. Apparently he performed some kind of spell that gave her, her eyesight back for eight hours at a time. Eight hours sight and eight hours blind, he couldn’t do anything more without risking the loss of her mind or soul. But she was happy with it, being able to see for short amounts of time was an amazing gift to her.

She smiles as she walks to the car, but it quickly turns into a frown. Ah shit you know what that means. Before you can think a green head rise from under the view of the car door and see his face. It’s Crowbar, Terezi’s stepdad, you seriously can’t deal with this shit at the moment.

“Hello, Karkat”, he says with a hostile tone.

“Hi Crowbar”, you reply unenthusiastically.

“I just wanted to remind about our agreement, as long as you date my daughter I will not hurt you”, he says with an authoritative tone.

“But if you ever dare hurt my sweet little girl, I will personally break very bone in your body and make ten thousand time clones of you and kill them”, his long winded threats are actually quite normal and even left out let birds feed off you.

“And let me add one more, thin-“

Terezi finally steps in pushing her father’s face out of the way.

“Dad cut it out already, it’s really annoying and creepy”

“I’m just looking out for you sweetheart”, he sounds like a hurt puppy.

“Ugh, you never do this crap with John and Vriska”, she replies.

“Actually I’m more scared for John in that relationship. Do you remember what she did to Boxcar’s kid? No telling what your sister might do to him”

She grunts and walks to the other side of the car and hops in.

“Let’s hurry Karkat I don’t want to be late for school”, Terezi demands.

“I’m watching you”, Crowbar finishes as you drive off.

When you’re a block away you ask, “Does your brother hear his complaints, I know he has a little crush on my sister”?

“No my mom stops him before he says anything stupid and threatens to kick him to the dog house if he tries anything”.

You remember her little brother. Slick and crowbar had the little guy a year after Paint had the twins. He was dark green and wore a little suit and top hat. He had a stop watch that could stop time for eight minutes every few hours. And like you said earlier he has a crush on your little sister.

The car ride is mostly quiet. Terezi eats her breakfast in peace and happiness. Your favorite bands keep coming up on the radio and there is no sign of traffic. Everything seems to be going pretty well today. Though something quite strange catches your eye, you keep seeing black figures in the corner off your eye. They are too deformed to be dersites and to small as well. But you can’t get a good enough look before they vanish. You just ignore it and think of it as nothing more than figment of your own fucked up imagination.

You finally get to the high school and everyone starting to pour inside. You take Terezi’s hand and start to make your way through the crowd of people to your class. Nearly being caught into the rushing tide of late students and people who didn’t want to sit in the front of the class. And by pure luck you are able to make it to class unscathed and right on time as the bell rings.

What surprises you is that everyone for once is on time for class, even Gamzee. Gamzee being on time surprises you more than anything, because he spends the first ten minutes of school staring at the vending machines. Your band members Angel, Auto, Echo and Loco were working on some lyrics. Angel was wearing her favorite black leather jacket with fur on the inside. Her blonde hair contrasted greatly with her black carapace, hiding under her favorite black fedora. Auto was wearing his hoodie again his mouth piece was shiny as ever and the deep light colored scar in his dark brown skin didn’t appear to belong. Loco was keeping quiet; the young prospitian was wearing another one of his favorite baseball caps and his necklace with a cross his abuela gave him. Echo was hovering over them the tall troll was repeating what everyone said in a quiet voice, his long hair reached passed his shoulders and his large ant like antenna horns were a foot away from the ceiling. John and Vriska were talking about their favorite movies. Tavros was playing Pokémon with Jade. Eridan and Sollux were arguing, as usual and as usual Feferi was scolding her two boyfriends. How that crazy tangle fuck of a three way relationship works is beyond you. Dave and Dirk were messing with Dave’s laptop’s virtual DJ. Jake and Equius were arm wrestling standing close by was Aradia making sure he didn’t use his full strength with Nepeta curiously at his shoulder. Finally you see Kanaya and Rose were working on some clothing designs. Areana and Roxy were having a lovey time mediating over whether Jane or Meenah was the superior baking master.  

“Wait”, you say as you look around the room again, “Where is the teacher”.

“Right behind you mister Vantas”, you jump a little as you feel a finger tap your shoulder.

You turn and see the face of your teacher. She was a thirty something year old prospitian women that seemed incapable of the simple act of aging. She was taller then you and was wearing one of her usual completely whiteout outfits. Everyone liked to call her the white queen.

She turned to the rest of the class, “Will everyone please find somewhere to sit”.

Everyone sat down including you and Terezi. You took a seat up front, the seat to the right you was empty which seemed unusual. There was always someone who wanted to sit next to, but not today it seemed.

“I have some exciting news everyone, we are receiving a new student today”, she seemed excited, which was in contrast to the mass whine the class produce.

“Wwhy are wwe getting another student to this class, wwe already have enough not to mention wwe already hawe to deal with Sol”, Eridan shouted from the back.

“Thpeak for yourself fish breath, I barely managed setting all my hackth up how I wanted to, now I going to have to add another to the therver”, Sollux replied with an irritated tone.

“Oh someone new to ship this is going to be diffurcult to add to my wall”, added Nepeta.

“Is he a highblood we need more in this institution, the number of low bloods is disturbing”, Equius commented.

“Shush all of you he is right outside the door and I don’t want you to make him feel bad”, she quieted everyone down before they continue; “you haven’t even met the young man yet.”

She rubbed her temples in order to relieve herself of the headache she just acquired.

“Oh I almost forgot, can you please come in”, she spoke in a concerned voice.

You watch as a figure entered the room. He had on a hoodie that was completely zipped up and his hood on. His lower body was covered by jeans and black sneakers. His face was so deep in his hoodie you couldn’t get a clear depiction of his face. Though his eyes gave of a white shine which gave the impression he actually possessed a head.

“Oh another human this could get interesting”, Vriska implied.

“Vriska, please don’t do anything to him yet he’s barley starting here”, John pleaded to his girlfriend.

“Would you please introduce yourself to the class”, asked WQ.

He nodded, “hello my name is Marcos Escobar”, he said. His voice was deep and rough though something about it was calming and peaceful.

“Would you like to tell us something interesting about yourself”, WQ continued.

“Well I’m seventeen years old; I’m an amateur artist, I working on a web comic, along with a novel, a video game storyline, I have an obsession with videogames. I can say I don’t have any emotion fifty percent of the time, because of my inability to care. My dream is to make my own videogame company. And I’m a little chaotic though for the most part I have in under control.”

“Whoa motherfucker, could you like repeat that and motherfuckin say it slower for a bro”, asked Gamzee after he finished.

“No mister Makara, Marcos could you please take the seat next to Karkat”, asked WQ.

“Sure”, as he takes the seat next to you.

“Ok now let us continue with today’s lesson”

 


	3. Slick and me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rushed and shorter forgive me

Your name is Ms. Paint and you’ve been awoken by the warm inviting radiant piercing through your window shades. You take a moment of appreciate another day of life. Sitting up in your bed as your ears catch familiar voices from below, you open the curtains and see your son driving off.  You can’t help but smile, your family has come so far in the last ten years. It started with nothing chance encounter. You met him while working for a small restaurant. He and his crew had just finished a heist and came in for a quick bite to eat. You were not paying attention and bumped into him. Wanting to look at him in order to apologize to him, you stepped back and slipped on some coffee that fell from the tray you were carrying. He however acting quickly caught you with his whole arm.

“Oh I’m so sorry I should have been paying more attention sir, please except my apology”, you pleaded to the stranger.

“Hey hold on lady, it was a simple bump, it was not like you were trying to stab me”, he was reassuring that it was ok.

After you got back p they found themselves somewhere to sit and waited to be served. You were quick about it and hurried to their table to take their orders.

“Hello, I’m Paint and I will be your waiter today. First would you like something to drink?” she asked patiently.

“Ok, the big guy would like milkshake; the little one wants some juice, Mr. gloom over there would like some tea and I want some black coffee, with regular milk not that centaur stuff will you”, he quickly answered.

After quickly writing down their orders, you disappeared and reappeared with their drinks. Noticing Slick eyes following you the entire time, but at first you thought it as nothing. But his eyes still continued to follow you and over heard something the Boxcars was saying.

“Hey Slick we see watching the little lady why don’t you say something to her”

“Quiet you big gorilla she might hear you”

“Come one say something to her”

“Like what, hello mam I’m a gangster and criminal would you like to go on a date”

“Well you don’t have to do all of that just ask hers if she’d let you but her some coffee”

“I’m surprise Boxcars for once you didn’t tell me to kiss the dame I barley met”

“Love is a learning experience”  

“Shit, fine I’ll ask if it comes up”

Now your interest has been peeked, though you were not crazy about the whole gangster thing, he seemed like a decent fellow. So when they finished their meal you picked up their dishes and brought back their bill. And as they were just ready to leave you walked up to Slick and whispered into his ear.

“I would love some coffee”, you tell him as you slid a piece of paper with your number into pocket.

From that point on you started dating. I was difficult to get use to Slick’s personality and his life style to say the least. But the longer you were with him the more you could see him change into a gentler kinder man, which was good for Karkat when he adopted him. And after a while you finally got married and had some kids of your own. Now here you are sitting in the room you share with your darling husband.

You turn to a mirror and see your reflection. Your carapace was a white as ever. You were a little plump, nothing you couldn’t fix with some recreational activities, you did buy a Wii for something right. Tough you imagine Slick telling you not to even bother. You were still in your black pajamas, they had little white Scotty dogs all over them, and you found them absolutely adorable.

With a desire to start the day you quickly change into your day attire and put on your favorite hat from the nothingness where you keep it. You think it might be time to return to the clothing store noticing a repeating trend in your clothes and that of your family. But that is for another time to be dealt with and you walk through the door.

You climb down the steps noticing your silly daughter Ink has left one of her adorable Scotty dog plushies on the stairs again. You pick up the cute cotton creation and place it in your arms. When you reach the ground floor you hear something coming from the basement. You place your temple against the wooden door due to your lack of ears. You hear some cheerful screeing and realize it is Crabdad doing laundry. You leave him alone to finish his peaceful work and continue to walk down the hall. You peek into the living room and see Slick sitting on the couch. You walk up behind him and put the soft plushie against his face.

“Something wrong grumpy”, you speak in a cheerful tone.

“Huh, oh morning honey didn’t notice you there for a minute”, he speaks as if you have pulled away from deep thought.

“Is something wrong Slick you seem off today”, you voice with concern.

“Nothing just had something on my mind, but I’ll deal with it later”

“Hmm, how about I take your mind off it”

You hug his neck and give a peck on the cheek.

“Heh, you always no how to grab a man’s attention”

He returns your hug pulling you down onto his lap and you both become consumed by each other’s warm embrace. Then generously placing butterfly fly kisses on the location were your nose would be. Pulling you tighter into his warm embrace, all is calm as you hold one other and everything seems right in the world. Then you here the shattering of glass, both of you open your eyes and lifted your heads. The sound appeared to have originated from the back of the house.

“Ah, shit”, Slick exclaimed as he stood up.

“Slick what was that?”

“I’m about to find out”, Slick answered pulling out a knife.

You follow him as you walk toward the back carefully. You see the window of the back door broken with shattered glass spread out across the floor. He looked around inside and outside and saw nothing. Slick noticed something stuck around the frame that once held the window in place. It was something black and slimy looking. He touched it with his finger and raised it to his eye. It was black paint.

“Shit, Paint I have to go keep the doors lock and don’t let anybody in until I get back home”

“Slick what’s wrong?”

“Nothing I hope, but for now stay safe”

He kisses you on the forehead and rushes out the door. And now you’re alone again in this big house. But you’re not scared your family has been through too much to be scared.

“I wonder if the big bang theory is on”.


	4. Blackjack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things getting violent

Your name is Spades Slick and shit is about to go down. First your nightmare, then the broken window and now the black paint. You are not sure what it all means, but it can’t be good. You are going as fast as you possibly can in your Impala, being careful enough to barley miss hitting anyone else on the road. You sent a group message to the rest of the crew to get their asses over to the hideout as quickly as possible. You’re heading there yourself right now desperate to tell them what happen. You finally reach the hideouts secrete entrance in a back alley. You lift the manhole cover of and slide into the hideout, closing the entrance behind you. 

You look to find everyone is here.

“Good everyone’s here, I got to tell you guys something”.

“What is it Slick you have another one of your brilliant schemes”, inquired Drooge.

“No it’s nothing like that, this morning I had a nightmare”

“A nightmare Slick your boney ass had all come out here so we’s could hold you and make it all better”, Boxcars cackled.

“Boxcars shut up this is serious it was about… it was about Jack”, the room went silent. The crews faces went and their eyes became focused on you.

A flood of memories hit you, forcing you to reveal the past. Originally this place was in the middle of nowhere. It was a wasteland of sand and dreams. But you had an idea build your own city and people would come. So that is what you did. At first it was only you and your crew working on the project. Then one day someone came along with a shovel and a hand. A prospitian named Jack. At first you and the crew didn’t care to have the little guy around, but he eventually started to grow on you. He would tell jokes to help pass the time during the hard work and pull prank every once in a while. He even made Drooge laugh something you thought impossible. Then when the ay finally came you celebrated the competition o the city with few drinks at your new casino.

This was also the day Jack was made an official member of the midnight crew and given the name Joker Jack. When you finally decided to call it a night that is when the shit hit the fan, next thing you no shots start getting fired and a bunch of green assholes start tearing apart the casino. This was the first time you met the Felt and the first fight you had with them. Out manned you escaped to a panic room overlooking the casino. But Jack got cut off from the rest of you and found himself running into Snowman. The fight was tough, he put up the best fight he could even knocked out one of her teeth. But it wasn’t enough she pulled out a gun and shot him in the leg. When he fell onto his knees she grabbed him by his throat and lifted him up. She stared deep into his blue eyes and whispered something to him. Then she snapped his neck and left his lifeless body on the ground. You buried him the next day and vowed no one would take his place. Everyone took it hard, but you took it the hardest, you had never lost a friend before and Jack was one true friend. But life went one and he faded into memory. With the Felt on your back you lost the ability to control the city and it became another democracy. And your crew’s involvement in its construction faded into obscurity.

“In my dream, we were in a white room with writing on the walls. His eyes were red and this black paint was coming out of his eyes and mouth and… shit”

You pause in order to get back your composure.

“Then later me and Paint were sitting on the couch, when we here some glass break. We went to find a window to the back door had been broken and I found some black paint on the frame”

“What do you think this means Slick, Jack is back”

“I don’t know what it means and if Jack is back what does want”

You sit there and think for a good while then you hear something. The sound was coming from our room of the hideout. It sounded like a scratching noise, like a cat wanting to be let back into its home. You sit there stunned not wanting to believe the sound is there.

“Did you guys check to see if anyone was down here?”

“No we did not”

You flipped the table over pointing it toward the door, you, Deuce and Drooge stand behind it with boxcars at the door ready to open it.

“Ok Boxcars on the count of three”

You start the count down one… two… THREE!!!

Boxcars swung the door open and the three of you were read to shoot whatever came through the door. You could hear the pitter patter of tin feet coming closer to you. You were ready for anything. Except a cat which was what exactly came through the door.

“Aw it’s just cute adorable cat”, Deuce revealed.

“A cat, how did it find its way into your room”, Drooge questioned.

“I don’t know, but I would like to inform the rest of you that cats don’t write fucking letters”, Slick pointed to the cats back which had a letter attached to it. Deuce picked up the cat and handed it you the letter. You read the words with letter smeared on to it with black paint.

“Look to the sky and reveal the Joker”

“I think it wants us to go outside”

You and the rest of the crew climb back outside and look up. Then you see it and point at for the rest of the crew to see a dark figure standing atop a ledge staring down at you. He was wearing a brown cloak that covered his face so it was impossible to get a decent facial description

“Who the hell are you jackass”

“No one you no Spades Slick, but you did know my brother Joker Jack”, his voice was deep and seemed like that of a violent nature.

“Wait yous Jack’s brother”, Boxcars asked.

“Yes, but you can call Black Jack”

“And I am here to see to your demise for the death of my brother”

“But we didn’t kill jack we would never even consider harming him”

“Lies all of it, I heard his sol whisper to me demanding retribution and I will see that he avenged”

“You want to kill us, then come down here and let’s see how many stabs you can take”

“There is no need for me to get my hands dirty my brother granted me an army fit to eliminate you”

“What the hell are you talking about jackass?”

“Look around and you’ll see what I mean”

You look and realized you’re surrounded. But by what, these creatures are not something you have seen before. Their bodies are deformed and are completely black. They are no taller then you with big read eyes, sharp looking teeth and small crooked horns. But you look and realize their bodies are made out of the paint you found at our house.

“What the hell are these things”, Drooge demanded to know.

“These creatures are known as sins, creatures created by my brother from the evil of this city and they are going to see to your demise”

He turns and starts to walk away.

“Goodbye Slick”

“Get back here jackass so I can stab ya”

“Let him go Slick we have other things we need to attend to”, he was referring to the group of blood thirsty paint monsters that had just been asked to tear you apart.

All four of you stood back to back with Deuce sitting atop Boxcars shoulders ready to defend against the creatures, while the creatures themselves were shuffling around in one big circle. They were looking for an opening so they could attack one that would not come. So one took the first brave move and charged at you. It moved like an animal running with either its feet or on all fours. It leaped like a dog claws forward mouth open dying to take a bite out of you. You reached into your suit jacket and pulled out a knife. With a quick slash you chopped off its head. The head went flying and landed behind you in front of the other monsters and its body fell to the ground at your feet. After a moment you notice something happening to the body. It started to melt dissipating into a puddle of black paint. The other creatures just looked at you, eyes dead focused. They sat their staring, and then they started to growl. They all charged and the party really started. You took out more knives and start throwing them, each hitting its mark and in seconds seven of the creatures went down. Drooge pulled out a pistol and fired carefully placed shots through eight of their heads. Boxcars smashed one of the creatures head under his big foot, grabbing two others at the same time and snapping their necks. And Deuce swatting any creatures trying to take a bite of Boxcars face. The fight was hard, but by the end you all were covered in the creatures black paint blood.

“Shit those things were tough”, you spoke with exhaustion in your voice

“I don’t think wes could have lasted more than a few more seconds”, Boxcars added.

“I’m completely out of ammo”, Drooge commented.

“I thought that was fun”, Deuce said cheerfully.

“That’s because you were on my shoulders the entire time”, Boxcars replied placing Deuce back on the ground.

“I think its best we all head home for now, he probably thinks were dead which will give us the element of surprise when he shows himself again”, you explain.

“What makes you think he’s going to show himself again”, questioned Drooge.

“Because he wanted to destroy us for revenge and that means he going to want to leave his mark. He’ll be back when his pets don’t return to their master and we’ll be ready for him.”

After that you and the rest of the crew return home. When you reach your house you shamble through the front door, barley able to move being exhausted from the fight. Ms. Paint hears you walk in and goes to welcome you home until she sees you.

“Slick want happen to you”, she cried.

“Just another day in the life of a gangster”, you laugh.

She helped you stand p placing your arm over her shoulder and slowly you made your way to the living room. Your kids had already made it home and were watching TV, Karkat sitting on the couch and Slip and Ink playing with Flare on the floor. They turned and saw you were in bad shape.

“Shit dad what the hell happen, why are you covered in this black gunk”, Karkat demanded to know.

“Me and the crew got attack from a brother of an old friend”, Karkat had got up so you could rest on the couch. Miss Paint helped you down making sure you were comfortable.

“Slick your hurt”, Paint was referring to the large bite in your shoulder, you should have been paying more attention “Karkat go get the first aid kit quickly”.

Karkat rushed up stairs to acquire the first aid kit your family had become accustomed to using.

“Dad, are you going to be ok”, your son Slip asked with concern.

You held his cheek in our hand rubbing the scar covering his left eye with your thumb, “Kid there is nothing on this entire planet that could take me away from my family”.

Karkat returned with the first aid kit handing it to Paint. She made quick work of you cleaning the wound and sewing it back up. You suspect she would make a great doctor if she wanted to.

“Ok now that is taken care of please tell me what happen”, she asked patiently.

“Shit… ok let me start from the beginning”, so you start with the story about your friend and your encounter with his brother and his creatures.

“So this fuckass wants to kill you and the crew because he hears voices”, Karkat asked.

“Karkat language please”, Ms. Paint added.

“Sorry”, he replied.

“No, there has to be more to it than that he knew where to find us and he knew our names. I don’t know what it all means yet, so we are going to have to wait and see. Hopefully all this will make sense eventually.”

At least things can’t get any weirder; at least that’s what you think.


	5. Strange company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry it took so long to post, ADD why do you hate me

You’re once again Karkat Vantas and now it is time for lunch.  You have just collected your lunch and are now walking to the largest table in the cafeteria to sit down and make a pitiful attempt to enjoy your lunch with the company of your friends. The cafeteria is huge and makes up the center of the building. It reminds of the clean white rooms they keep crazy people in at asylums. You feel it is appropriate considering who you go to this school with. The table is overly crowded as usual with every one you associate with. You walk overly not even close to being enthusiastic about having to deal with any bullshit of theirs today, but this is everyday so you suck it up and take it like a wounded snake ready to strike at anything that makes a sound because you are also a snake that is blind.

You sit your ass down and get straight to business, business being scarfing down your lunch as quickly as possible so you don’t have to stay sitting here for too long. But like every plan you’ve made in the past this one goes horribly wrong and you find yourself choking on your crappy government provided lunch. Terezi looks at you as you try to signal for help before you are eliminated from the game of life by a turkey sandwich.

She shakes her head and looks pass you, “Echo do you mind”, making a motion to have your band mate help you.

The large troll is confused for a second then looks at you, “Oh shit!” He freaks out as he hits your back as hard as possible forcing the air out of you along with the food attempting to end your life. You cough out saliva onto your plate as you attempt to recollect your breath that was just forced out of you. 

“Thank you”, you manage to cough out to your savior.

“No problem boss”, Echo responds.

After hacking up the little pieces of sand which that clung to the inside of your throat, you look at your lunch and see that it is no longer edible. You push it to the side and in regret of your hasty action, now you have no food and will go hungry. You rub the forehead as you have now acquired a head ache. You consider talking to your friends, but you think it would be similar having small talk to a small yapping dog. So you decide to look around the room and see if anything interesting is happening, well more interesting then you choking to death on turkey with rye.  But looking around there is nothing happening for once. However you do notice someone, your new classmate. He seemed confused about where to sit down and try not to die while eating his food. You ponder the thought of inviting him over to the table though crowded you can always squeeze another person in. It would be better than having to interact with the rest of the table, so you decide to invite him over.

“Hey, Mike come sit with us over here”, you shout to him across the room.

He looked around then pondered the idea, seeing no better alternative he walks over to the table. He placed his lunch bag right on the table before sitting down. He wore a hoodie, jeans and sneakers. He is bigger up close; your head barley passes his shoulders. He had large build, he wasn’t fat but he had a gut to say the least. His hands were big, with long fingers and tan skin. His hoody, you can feel the heat coming off of it. His face is still hidden in his hoody and once situated he looked directly at you.

“Thanks for inviting me to sit with you”, he raises his hand and rubs the back of his neck, “I don’t really know anyone here yet, let alone have any friends”.

“Your name is Karkat right, didn’t really have the chance to meet you in class”

“Yeah, I wanted someone new talk to and thought you could use some company”

“Yeah I could thank you”

He opened up his lunch sack and pulled an assortment of lunch items that had nothing in common with each other. He had brought with him a pear, a pudding cup and container of crackers.

“Hmm, it appears I have forgotten to pack myself a drink”, looked toward you once again, “there wouldn’t happen to be a vending machine around here by any chance”.

“Yeah there’s one against the back wall”, you point behind you.

“Don’t bother”, you turn to look at Eridan sitting right in front of you, “I bought all the remaining drinks in the vending machine”.

“That wath you athhole I thought it jutht ran out again”, Sollux commented.

Look at the table to see quite the collection of carbonated beverages in front of him, all vying to be consumed.

“Eridan why in glubs name did you even buy so many”, his confused girlfriend asked him.

“Because I’m every time I go to get myself a drink they are sold out”, he complained.

“So you thought the best fucking solution was to take all the sugar drink crap for yourself”, you ask with new found irritation, “you couldn’t have simply bought yourself one extra drink for later”.

“Wwell I just wwanted to prove a point”

“To who the vending machine, because I think all it cares about is how much money it gets from people like you”

“Wwell I doesn’t matter now, because all of the soda is mine”, Eridan announced proudly.

“Eridan I think you can give the guy at least one of your drinks, you can’t possibly drink of that”, Feferi explained.

“Fine the human can have one”, Eridan quickly turned his gaze to Mike, “Pick one and only one”.

Mike looked at the selection and thought for a moment. Then reached out and picked up a root beer that was kept at the farthest from the others.

“Thank you, Eridan”, Mike added.

He cracked open the soda and you don’t fully understand what happens next; it is almost as if the soda teleported out of the bottle. He slammed the bottle on the table having completely emptied the contents down his gullet. Then proceeding to let out an extremely load belch into his jacket.

“Oh, excuse me”, he apologized.

The whole table just sat there in silent aw.

“Holy thhit”, Sollox blurted out finally breaking the silence.

“How the hell did he do that”, Vriska added.

“That was so glubbing cool”, Feferi finished she grabbed another soda and tried to hand it to Mike, “Do it again”.

“Um, ok”, he took the drink and opened it but before he could chug it Dave stopped him.

“Hold one dude let me time this”, Dave asked pulling out a stop watch and getting ready, “ok go”.

Mike nodded and chugged the soft drink just as quickly as the first one.

“You did that in six seconds how’s that even remotely possible”, Dave asked.

“It’s a gift I guess”, he replied.

“Wait Mike is it safe for you to drink that much so quickly”, you finally add.

“Actually I didn’t think about that, till now” he said as he raised his hand to his mouth, “I’m getting a little dizzy”.

Right then he let out a large belch once again, “Ok I think I made a bad decision”.

Then he rested his head against the table, “Oh my stomach, why did do that”.

“Um, are you okay”, you ask.

“Just give me a minute I’ll be fine”, he responded.

A few minutes later he finally lifted his off the table. Everyone at the table had gone back to doing what they were originally up to, leaving you and him at each other’s attention. Neither of you said anything as he started to devour his lunch, it only took him a minute or two to tear apart his meal. You don’t know what to say until a question pops into your head.

“So Mike, where are you from”

You looked at you for a minute then answered, “Arizona”.

“Really, what’s the grand canyon like”

“Not sure never been there myself, though from what I hear it is beautiful sight”

“How long did live there”

“This is the first year I’ve lived in another state”

“How is it there?”

“It’s a pretty nice place, lots of good people; though I wished the weather there would make up its mind”

“How so”

“In the morning it would be cold to the point if your fingers were wet they could get frost bite, but in the afternoon if you didn’t take off your jacket you would die from heat stroke”

“Really that sounds like really shitty weather”

You could only imagine having to deal with weather like that on a daily basis; you would probably be more moody and bitter than usual.

“Why did you move here?”

“Moms got a job out here working as a… um, a forklift driver”

“All the way here just for that”

“She had trouble keeping a job”

“What happen to here last one?”

“It uh… went out of business”

“Ok”

Something doesn’t seem to add up about his story; you can’t put your finger on it. However you don’t seem to care enough to push further in. So you leave it at his explanation excepting it as fact.

You here the ringing of the bell sign that lunch has finally come to an end and that you must return to daily dose of tedious information. You and everyone else in the cafeteria get out of yourselves and start to head for class. You turn to tell Mike something that had popped into your head, but as you turn around you discovered he was no longer present. He had disappeared into nothingness probably to avoid any more questions from you. But he did appear later when you made it to class having taken his seat ready to intake all the information he could.

After school you get into your car with Terezi and drive her home. Just out of pure chance however you see your new classmate walking down the road. You think about offering him a ride home, but as you turn your attention to Terezi for a split second you see he has vanished. After you drop off Terezi at home, you see him once again however how you spot him is not as simple as it was before. How you think to yourself, well you should now since you the one who saw him. Yes you saw him as your car accomplished hitting him. You witnessed his body rolling over your car and hear his body hit the ground behind it.

You sat in your car for a moment at first refusing to believe that the first day that you met him was the same day he would die. But then you realized he’s hurt and behind your car. You rush out of your card nearly falling while trying to get out of the car. But when you reach the back of your car you find no one there, no body, no blood and no damage to your car. You cannot understand the situation, was it just your imagination or did he just disappeared like before injured and hurt from the cars grill. After a few minutes you choose to drive home seeing nothing that you could possibly do.

When you finally get home you find your mother watching the big bang theory with Slip and Ink. You don’t tell her what happen, not wanting to freak her out and not even sure about what even happen. Your brother and sister both ask about your day and you tell them complete and total bullshit of how it was like every other. Wanting to forget everything that happened today, you lie down on the couch and join everyone, watching the show. However after about an hour your day just gets even worst as your father arrives home bloodied and covered in black goo. You wish that you were dreaming so you wouldn’t have to deal with this crap on a daily basis.


End file.
